In a world where smartphones are constantly connected to the internet, the possibilities of cloud-based services are very enticing. Having to transfer your content from device to device is a hassle, and services like the Amazon Cloud Player and Music Beta by Google are changing the way we manage our media. These services allow you to upload your music to their servers, making it accessible from multiple platforms (PC, Tablet, Smartphone, etc.). For those that want more options, Sony has just released the new Music Unlimited app for Android, powered by Qriocity. How much of a competition is this app to the other services though?

One of the most important aspects for the consumer is definitely price. The other services are currently offering some free options, while Sony’s Unlimited Music requires you to have a basic or premium subscription. Sony’s Qriocity services will cost $3.99/month for the basic subscription and $9.99 per month for premium. The basic subscription allows access to your own music (synched to their servers from your own computer), as well use of their “personalized channels that adapt to your music tastes and your mood.” (Something like Pandora?) If you’re willing to whip out $10 a month, though, Sony will give you access to their 7-million song library. Sony has set up deals with music labels like Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI Music, along with many other independent labels and publishers. This will give you access a huge library of music, while also supporting your favorite music labels and musicians.

Now let’s take a look at the competition, Google Music Beta and the Amazon Cloud Player:

Music Beta by Google

Google Music Beta is currently free for all Beta testers with an invite. If you happen to have this service, you can upload up to 25,000 songs to their servers and access them through your computer, tablet and smartphone. I use this service and have about 7,000 songs uploaded–or roughly 40 GB of data. This means Music Beta’s per user limit is easily above the 100 GB threshold. Not bad at all for a free service, right? It’s still unknown what the prices will be after Beta testing has concluded, but surely the rates will be very competitive (as is typical of Google).

Amazon Cloud Player

Amazon took the stage with their cloud-based music service, proving the first of the “big boys” to release their cloud player (even though music labels gave them a hard time about it). Amazon’s cloud music services are free for the first 5 GB. After that there are multiple plans with different storage capacities. All the rate plans follow the same pattern, though: $1 per GB per year.

Aside from the prices, the Amazon Cloud Player works pretty much the same as Google Music Beta. One simply uploads music to the “Amazon Cloud Drive,” and it’s ready to stream via your PC, tablet or smartphone. Simple.

Conclusion

As of now, the most affordable option is Music Beta by Google (and it will probably continue to be the cheapest after its release), but it’s not currently available for everyone. The Amazon Cloud Player is available for everyone, but the prices and storage capacity do not compare to Google’s services.

Assuming that Music Unlimited allows you to upload an unlimited amount of data to their servers, this would be the best non-Beta service for those that want more than 5 GB of cloud storage. With the $3.99 basic subscription, you can access your songs from anywhere, while having access to Sony’s personalized channels. This service might also be very convenient for PlayStation 3 owners, because it syncs seamlessly with your PS3. And PS3 users can even get a 180-day Basic Service free trial.

To access the 180 day Basic Service free trial, log on to your PlayStation 3 system and click on the Music Unlimited service below the Music icon. Once the application has downloaded, follow the sign up instructions.Patrick SeyboldSr. Director, Corporate Communications & Social Media

Now, if we look at the services Amazon and Google don’t yet offer, things may seem completely different. If you want to take full advantage of the Music Unlimited $9.99 Premium Services, it might very well be worth your bucks. Having access to 7 million songs is no small thing. And if you’re truly a music enthusiast, you probably spend way more than $10 in music every month. The difference is that you won’t own the music. But if you’re a loyal Sony customer and plan to keep the service for a long time, it’s arguably a good deal. Sony is also offering a 30-day trial for their Premium Services, so you can test it out before handing over your hard-earned cash.

Music Unlimited is compatible with all Sony Ericsson devices (of course), but other devices are compatible as well. The best way to find out if your device is compatible is by testing it out, since there’s no list of compatible devices yet. Head to the market to see if it works, and make sure you take advantage of that 30-day trial.

As usual, we’d like to know where our readers stand. Please do let us know which service you prefer. Also, don’t forget to check out the pictures below for a quick look at the Music Unlimited app. Share your opinions! Tell us which cloud-based music service you prefer and why in the comments section.

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Hello, I am Edgar Cervantes. I am an avid Android fan, and keeping myself updated on the topic is part of my daily life. I will always work hard to give the best of me to our community of Android enthusiasts, and I am very honored to be part of this ship. Hopefully we can all enjoy sharing our knowledge and opinions!

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http://Website David

I find it interesting. Kinda like the netflix of music. I don’t think its for the people who have external hard drives full of music but more for those who listen to music like they do the radio. Like people who use Pandora or Slacker.

http://Website Nick

I’ve used it on the PS3, it sucks. Not worth any money at all.

http://Website Mike

But why does it suck? Details man… details!

http://Website Noriega713

Right?… I prefer the Google cloud music because they let me upload 25,000 songs and it’s free… Who can argue with free?

http://Website Warden Chinbach

HA! nice one

http://www.adrenaldesign.com Joby

You left out a few key points here, which should change your pick of “most affordable.”

1. Music bought from Amazon MP3 doesn’t use up your space on the cloud drive, so as far as future purchases go your storage is unlimited.

2. Google Music is not necessarily going to remain free. Google themselves have indicated that it will likely cost something once it gets out of beta.

In light of those two points I think Amazon is definitely the more affordable option. Especially given the fact that should you switch to Google Music later you can always just download the files from Amazon and move them on over.

Personally I use Amazon MP3 for purchasing, and Google Music for playback. Once they launch though, if it costs anything at all I’ll go back to Amazon Cloud Player.

http://Website Hatchetdawg

Seems a lot like MOG with a smaller selection of music. Except for the $10 MOG allows unlimited downloads to mobile for off-line listening.

http://Website Chuck

MOG FTW!

http://Website Mike

I currently use Amazon’s Cloud Player and MOG in combination. I like to be able to check out new artists and new albums before making a decision to purchase them which MOG a nice to have, but having said that, if I like an album I want to own so it’s mine regardless of what service I use or device I want to play it on… hence, Amazon. If this service is reliable, and allows for enough personal storage it sounds like a hybrid that could definitely fit my needs so I would only need one app…. definitely going to have to check it out when I have some spare time.

http://Website riper

Neither of the services mentioned are good compared to Spotify. I mean why upload music when it’s mostly all there already! If you happen to have some music that aren’t on Spotify you can upload that music. Everything reachable from iphone and android as well. Soon to be released in US. Big in Sweden and UK.

http://Website jocko

I will never give Sony any of my money. I got hit by their rootkit on audio CDs, and I have a long memory.

http://Website JayMonster

Same here, been burned by Sony before (more than once), and it will be a cold day on hell before I trust them again with anything!

GRAW

Well, seeing as how it’ll probably get hacked…who wouldn’t!?! Only noobs have security!

http://Website Frankz

Sony is full of their selves, even though I own a playstation I love that they got hacked. I use Rhapsody for new stuff / stuff I’m too embarrased to own and audio galaxy for stuff I own, Pandora for things not sold on .mp3

http://Website Peter

Too big for my phone and not compatible with tablets so I will never know.
Still it is nice to see something not US only.

http://Website bobomb

No. Nothing from Sony. Ever. Again.

Seriously, you’d have to be out of your mind to give Sony your credit card.

http://Spotify PGrGr

Gotta agree with Riper above. I’m a Spotify premium user here in the UK, and it beats the socks off all the other services. £10 per month, and I can stream unlimited music from a library of 13 million songs with all the major labels. Not only that, but I can cache playlists to my phone so I can listen whilst on the Underground too. Brilliant.

http://Website vasra

In short: NO.

http://Website Stone

For the more advanced users, check out subsonic! It runs on my debian based DreamPlug 24/7 and is just fantastic. Always using it, whether I´m at home or on the go. Simply outstanding. I would think about Spotify too though. If would live in a country with open minded cultural interested people! Germany sucks with their musical rights and management!

http://Website noak

not *even* a small mention about locality here. US aint the only country, im sure you’ve plenty of readers from others.

I think the sony service is the only one available in some of Europe. Kind of big deal when picking a service if you live in Europe.

http://www.clusta.com h0ruza

Not for Sony music.

http://Website JohnnyChimpo

I will never pay for a cloud based music service, unless its a reasonable one time fee. I like the concept of streaming music from the cloud and being able to access it anywhere but I would never get locked into a monthly payment just so I can listen to my own music. If it comes down to that I can just get a 32gig sd card and call it good. Here’s hoping that Google Music Beta users get grandfathered in and will never have to pay for the service once its released to the public.

http://Website drwevil

I use it and love it I have all the albums I owned on lp as a kid plus the ones I wanted but couldn’t afford.
The sound quality is great.

As for credit card details and Sony I use a debit card. So it’s a non issue for me really as I only keep enough money in there to pay internet stuff.

As for app size I have over 500 Meg free of internal storage and 3 gig of data a month so I don’t care about that either.

Nice work Sony and my sincere thanks.

http://Website TaisPH

None of the services are available in Denmark so they all suck! :-)

http://Website Jeshan

Amazon Cloud Player available to everyone? It’s only for US customers!! Unless other people are irrelevant or live on another planet..

http://Website Mike

Does the music sound as good as hard drive based material

Pascal

I have imported music to one of my PS3s (requires space and files/albums organization/display is not limited) but I would love to get an App for Amazon Music and Google Music (I have music on both for my Android devices and laptop). And I think if Sony wants to come back they can’t isolate themselves more, they need to open up. Why Android caught up with iOS (proprietary system)?
Plus as I mentioned we have two Ps3s at home, that means two Sony Network ids (for my son (12) and myself, I can’t set up both with the same id because you can’t be online with both at the same time) and when I buy CoD pack on one, I can’t share it and I have to buy it on the other one. So I don’t want to do that for a music service tied to my Sony Network id.
Come on Sony, get it right!

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